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Guidance

Taxonomy of Risk Factors

Published 30 June 2026

© Crown copyright 2026

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/taxonomy-of-vulnerability-risk-factors/taxonomy-of-risk-factors

1. Key and supporting notes

  • Category
    • Sub-category [not usable as Risk Factor]
      • Risk Factor
        Definition text
    • Risk Factor A
      Definition of Risk Factor A
      • Risk Factor B
        Definition of Risk Factor B
      • Risk Factor C
        Definition of Risk Factor C
        • Risk Factor D

2. Structure rules

  1. Categories and sub-categories are not usable as Risk Factors and are only intended to provide classification.
  2. Risk Factors may extend other Risk Factors, denoted here with nested bullets.
  3. If Risk Factor B extends Risk Factor A, it means that whenever B applies to a Person or Household, A must also apply to that Person or Household. In other words, a risk factor which extends another is strictly more specific than its parent.
  4. A Risk Factor may be associated with more than one category.
  5. Similarly, Risk Factors may extend more than one Risk Factor. The Risk Factors presented here extend at most one other Risk Factor and the structure presented here reflects that.

3. Individual Risk Factors

3.1 Age

  • under 21
    • under 18
      • under 16
  • State Pension age
    person over UK State Pension age
  • Older person’s bus pass
    person holds a valid older person’s bus pass for free travel. Criteria may vary by region

3.2 Gender or sexual identity

  • this is intentionally not expanded for now – this will be expanded by the work of the Domain Expert Group on Person

3.3 Health

  • pregnant
  • medically dependent on utilities
    • nebuliser and apnoea monitor
    • heart, lung & ventilator
    • dialysis, feeding pump and automated medication
    • oxygen concentrator
    • stair lift, hoist, electric bed
    • careline/telecare system
    • medicine refrigeration

3.4 Disabilities

  • cognitive impairment
  • speech impairment
  • mobility impairment
    • inability / limited ability to walk more than short distances
    • inability / limited ability to walk without assistance and/or requires a mobility aid
    • inability / limited ability to walk, or an inability to move from bed, including paralysis
    • inability / limited ability to move quickly
  • sensory impairment
    • visual impairment
      person has a Certificate of Visual Impairment
    • hearing impairment
      registered as Deaf, Deaf with speech, or hard of hearing
  • uses Assistive Technology Service
  • Blue Badge holder
  • assisted Refuse Collection
    person receives assistance from the Council for assistance with their bin collection due to age, illness or disability

3.5 Financial

  • in receipt of means-tested benefits
    adult in receipt of, or child of an adult in receipt of, means-tested benefits
    • claiming universal credit
      adult has made a claim for universal credit which is currently in payment
  • not in work
    person who does not have a job
    • unemployed
      person of working age who is not in work, has looked for work within the past four weeks and is available to start within the next two weeks
    • economically inactive
      person not in employment who has not been seeking work within the last four weeks or is unable to start work within the next two weeks
  • recovery action for arrears
    recovery action has started for arrears such as council tax, tenancy, housing benefit overpayments, social care charges or other debts

3.6 Ethnicity

  • this is intentionally omitted for now

3.7 Social care

  • care needs assessment
    a person has submitted an application for a care needs assessment
  • care home resident
  • in receipt of home care

3.8 Living arrangements

3.9 Social circumstances

  • care leaver
    (also in social care category)
  • full-time carer responsibilities

3.10 Criminal justice system

  • in contact with the criminal justice system
    • a prison leaver
    • a criminal defendant
    • a victim of crime

3.11 Citizenship status

  • immigrant
  • undocumented person
  • asylum seeker
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